


Stranger Than Fiction

by Lunan95



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternative Universe - Danny Stoker Lives, Canon-Typical Horror, Drama, Gen, Humor, Librarian Martin, Male-Female Friendship, Mystery, Pre-Canon, Researcher Sasha, The Eye - Freeform, The Stranger - Freeform, Updates at weekends, oh my god they were friends, researcher jon, researcher tim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:07:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28682316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunan95/pseuds/Lunan95
Summary: AU. The year is 2012 in London. Jenny has just graduated from secondary school and is currently looking for a higher education, as Martin prompts her to (as lying on CV is just asking for a load of anxiety problems). A chance encounter with one Danny Stoker leads to a series of weird things happening around her. Suddenly there are strangers lurking in the shadows and something sinister watching them...
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. An occult book, a stranger and a spider circus

**Author's Note:**

  * For [quantumducky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/quantumducky/gifts), [miraeyeteeth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraeyeteeth/gifts).



_ London, 2012 _

Jenny Blackwood looked at her reflection in the mirror. Another year had passed and yet, she looked the same as always. Ginger hair and brown eyes. Freckles on her cheeks and a small nose.

She graduated from secondary school yesterday. Martin had attended the ceremony, he had looked so happy and proud of her. Jenny wasn’t exactly sad to graduate but she didn’t feel...happy either.

It was just an odd feeling, that she was officially going to the adult world and was no longer considered a child. The question was...what was she going to do now?

She felt the scent of pancakes in the kitchen; Martin was making breakfast. Jenny really liked his cooking and sometimes she joked that perhaps he should’ve gone for cooking or baking careers.

Jenny decided to not keep him waiting and combed her hair with the brush, although one tuft still stood out more than the rest of the hair. ‘The curse of having curly hair.’ She thought, but didn’t mind. It gave her character and otherwise, she felt just as plain as simple, white bread.

“Morning, Jenny.” Martin greeted his little sister with a bright smile, he was just a big ray of sunshine sometimes. “There were some good deals on milk and eggs, so I thought why not making pancakes before I have to go to work and you can sit and look for universities in peace-”

Jenny blinked. “Universities?”

Martin turned around and looked just as surprised. “Yes, you do want to go to uni, right?”

“Can we afford it?” Jenny sat down and stared at him with a very intense expression. “Tuition fees aren’t really cheap.”

“You have stipend, Jenny and my payroll is pretty decent. I’m sure we can afford it.” Martin said calmly. “I just want the best for you.”

“...you didn’t go to uni.”

Martin fell silent as he flipped over the last pancake to the plate. “I made my choice. It was either my education or our survival. I think I prefer my baby sister alive and healthy over a classroom with stuffy books.”

Jenny didn’t want to give up. “You always wanted to go to uni, you dreamed about it! I just...I ruined things by being whiny.”

“Listen,” Martin said and turned off the stove. He sat down by the table and looked her right in the eyes. “Nothing is your fault, we were in a bad situation and it’s not like we could’ve afford it anyways. You needed me more than I needed that education. I picked my sister over a school and it was the best decision.”

Jenny nodded. “Right. Of course.”

But it was a struggle to even be okay with it. Martin deserved everything good, according to her. No one is more self-sacrificing, understanding and kind as he is.

* * *

Before Martin left, he asked her to make a list of universities she’s interested in and they could talk about it when he came home from work. Then he gave her a quick peck on her cheek before running to the nearest station or he’d miss the train again.

Jenny didn’t have the slightest interest to stay home, so she grabbed her keys and backpack and left.

Now when she had the freedom to go wherever she wanted, Jenny had no idea where to start.

She ended up going to the library.

The only thing Jenny had ever kept interest in was about the supernatural. The memories of the strange things that happened to her when she was a child was still fresh in mind. Jenny couldn’t just forget about it.

She knew what she saw in the deep forest outside her home village was real. And whatever happened to her under the ice has to be real. But no one believed her. Sometimes it felt like not even Martin believed her.

So Jenny took the tube and went to the library at St. James’s Square.

So here she was now, looking at the book titles on the shelves and searched for the occult...the supernatural. The unexplainable. The paranormal abnormalities.

Then she finally found a book title that seemed to be the answer to what she sought for!  _ “ _ _ Mysteries; an investigation into the occult, the  _ _ paranormal _ _ , and the supernatural” _ by Colin Wilson.

Jenny reached to grab and hence her surprise…

When someone else’s hand collided into hers and grabbed the book as she did.

Jenny was face to face with another boy around her age, he looked only slightly older by a couple of years. He had a youthful face with thick, black hair, dark blue eyes and a straight nose.

“I was first!” Jenny exclaimed indignantly. Her brain temporarily short circuited at the surprise of meeting another one who liked the paranormal (she assumed it was the case).

The other boy’s face narrowed his eyes. “Oh, bollocks! I was clearly first!”

“I need this book, I’m doing research!”

“Well, I need it more!” He said, not letting go of the book. Much to Jenny’s chagrin.

They stood there and just started to wrestle the book from each other, glaring holes at each other. Jenny refused to give up and so did he. What a rude arse.

“Now, now, what seems to be the problem?”

The security guard stood there in front of them; a tall and imposing figure with crossed arms. 

Jenny felt cold, but she didn’t want to let go of the book either. The other guy seemed to be of the same mind.

“Instead of fighting about the same book, how about you two share it instead?” The security guard suggested. “Otherwise, I have to escort you both out and no one gets to the book.” He was giving them a choice, it seems.

Jenny struggled against her inner instincts which were to hoard every supernatural book she got her hands on. “...fine.” She sighed, defeated.

“I’m fine with sharing.” The other guy said in a chipper tone. 

And that was how Jenny found herself sharing a desk with this guy. He was very charming with a wide smile and the way he talked so smoothly to the security guard. Jenny was jealous of that. 

She always ended up stammering and losing the words, to her annoyance.

“Okay, all we have to do is to sit here, share the book and be cool.” He said with a grin. “But we must introduce ourselves, now when we’re friends and all-”

“Friends?!” Jenny spluttered. “I never said I wanted to be friends, just to share the bloody book!”

“Well, I think you’re funny. You get angry, but it’s like a bunny getting mad at something. It’s adorable!” The guy laughed and Jenny glared again. “Name’s Danny. Danny Stoker. And you?”

Jenny hesitated before she answered. “Jennifer Matilda Blackwood.” She had no idea why she included her middle name, but it felt right like that.

“Jenny and Danny. I like that.” Danny said with a grin. “You know, we look like we're the same age. But I’ve never seen you before. Do you come here often?”

Jenny shook her head. “No, this is the first time. I just came here to clear my head and try to find answers.”

“Answers to what?” Danny asked curiously. 

But Jenny didn’t answer and stared instead at the open book between them. “...it’s real, you know. Those things in that book. I know it’s real but no one believes me.”

Danny didn’t laugh or mock her, like dozens of people has done before. His blue eyes looked down at the book and then at her. “Did something weird happen to you?”

“Weird?”

“Yeah, strange things. Abnormal stuff..  _ Spooky  _ happenings.” Danny continued. “My big bro knows about a place that handles things about that. It’s called the Magnus Institute.”

Jenny heard the name and suddenly, it felt she needed to go there. Yes...maybe there were answers there about all the weird things that happened to her.

“I saw something strange once. In the woods outside the village I come from.” Jenny started. She had no idea why she was telling all this to a mere  _ stranger _ , but it felt right to talk to Danny. “I got this picture book from my big brother, it was on sale in a small bookshop. I don’t know how, but the more I read, it felt like it was...drawing me further from home.” She continued. “I kept reading and just walked towards the woods without my control. I swear on my life that I couldn’t stop walking to...wherever I got. Before I knew it, I was in the middle of those woods, that part where the sun didn’t shone and there was...a circus. It looked like a cabin, but there was this massive circus inside.”

Danny was listening closely without interrupting. It felt suddenly like they were in that library, alone. He nodded as encouragement for her to keep going.

“Those performers of the circus was spiders. Huge, tall spider-persons clad in costumes and what else. They all had too many eyes on their faces, extra arms and...smiles that were too wide.” Jenny came to the harder part and it felt impossible to stop now. “I didn’t know it, but an older boy came after me. He went in the same class as my brother, but he always hated me. Said that I was so strange and weird...I guess he was too curious to see where I was going.”

Jenny fought to push down those horrible memories that were triggered in her mind. “The circus spider people...they said they liked to play with me. Told me that I was a guest of honor. I was a child, so I believed them. But it was like I was playing and dancing, not because I wanted to. I grew scared and I wanted to go home. I told that, over and over. But they wouldn’t let me…”

Danny spoke for the first time. “What happened then?”

“The ringleader...spider-person got angry. Said that now when I’ve come, she shouldn’t deny them. I still remember that awful song that came from the organ pipe...thing. It kept going faster and faster...and when I started to struggle, I saw that my arms were wired by thin threads of spider web. Controlling me. The only thing they couldn’t control was my voice...and my mind.” Jenny’s hands started to tremble out of control. “They began to sing along with the pipe organ, I screamed and cried for my big brother to come and get me. But then something happened. They suddenly stopped and started to whisper about an “intruder”.”

“I...I just took my chance and pulled at my arms so hard that the web strings snapped. I fell backwards, but I didn’t stay to recover and just scrambled to run or hide. I picked the latter when I heard they were coming back.” Jenny’s voice were slightly trembling. “I hid inside a trunk against the wall and kept looking through the keyhole. And...my brother’s classmate was strung up by the webs and made to keep dancing. He was more verbal on refusing to play with the circus spider people and...I swear, his skin just came off.”

“ _S-sorry?!_ ” Danny finally interrupted, he looked pale and nearly green in the face at that. “H-his skin came off?!”

Jenny nodded slowly. “His skin was just...pulled away, like he was wearing thin layers of clothes and I kept biting my hand so I couldn’t scream. I tasted iron and knew I was probably biting so hard that I drew blood. The pipe organ kept playing faster and louder, so no one heard when I accidentally kicked the backside of the trunk open. It was a secret exit and I took my chance to crawl out and just ran to the door, exiting that awful place. It felt like I was being chased through the woods, but I didn’t stopped until I was suddenly in my home village. Running home like a maniac.”

The hard part was over now. “My memory got a little blurry after that. Later, my brother told me that I was really pale with tear streams down my face, my shoes were muddy with twigs and my left hand had a bite mark with dried blood stains. It took months to quit screaming every night, filled with nightmares.”

“Oh, God…” Danny whispered. “Did you tell anyone? Your brother, your parents...anyone?”

“I...I did, but my mum thought I was crazy, demented.” Jenny sighed. “I can’t tell if Martin believes me. He always says he does, but I know he doubts. I met therapists. The whole incident was painted as “trauma by seeing a dead boy’s corpse”. _Ridiculous_ …” She muttered.

There was a thick silence between them. Jenny fully expected Danny to not believe her. 

“You know what?” Danny said. “I’m gonna borrow this book, we’re getting out of here and I’m gonna treat you to a coffee. How about it?”

Jenny stared at him, surprised that he actually believed her and didn’t think that she was delusional or lied about her experience. “That sounds lovely, actually.”


	2. Danny Stoker, the Urban Explorer of London

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny makes friends with the very reluctant Jenny, determined that their meeting isn't by chance and interests her with the promise of an adventure in urban exploration. Jenny finds herself not alone anymore, now when she has a friend while her brother works.

“Okay, let me get this right.” Danny said. “This spider circus...thing happened and no one ever believed you, which results in you’re the “weirdo” of your childhood home?”

“Spot on.” Jenny said mirthlessly and took a sip from her latte. “I made it harder for my big brother, he’s always done his best to provide for me and our...mother.”

Danny looked like there was something more about it, but let it slide. “That was the one paranormal thing that happened to you.”

“One more happened too.”

Danny blinked surprised and gave a frustrated sigh. “Wow, you can’t take a break...what was the next thing that happened to you?”

“Well, it was a couple of years later. It was in the middle of winter and my big brother took me to the frozen lake, where everyone was ice-skating.” Jenny began. “I didn’t liked to skate with too close contact of strangers-”

“Valid, but continue?” Danny replied and took a sip from his coffee. 

“Right,” Jenny kept going. “I wasn’t really paying attention where I was skating, so I got to the parts with weaker ice and I...fell through. And this is where the weird part came. I...was suffocating, but I couldn’t reach up to the surface at all. It was like I was pulled down into the darkness, I couldn’t see anything. I felt buried in too much space and there was no air and I couldn’t see anything, as if I was blind. It was almost as if I was being pulled down by a force.”

Danny didn’t say anything, but his hands grasped tightly around his coffee cup. 

“Then I could hear my brother, but barely. It was almost like an anchor, but lifting me up to the surface. I just stretched my arm up and then he just grabbed me, pulling me up. I don’t remember anything else because I lost consciousness as soon I was out of danger.”

“Yikes…” Danny muttered. “You were taken to hospital, right? I mean...you fell through the ice and since you’re in front of me.”   
  


“Yes, they did. I nearly had a bad case of hypothermia, but that was it. When I woke up in my hospital bed, I heard something scream and it only stopped because I realized I was the one who screamed out loud.” Jenny shivered in the memory of it. “It has haunted Martin since then. He told me that the doctors said...I was technically everything other than braindead.”

Danny paled. “You died?!”

“I don’t know, the doctors thought I was until they saw my brain activity.” Jenny exclaimed, the café was too noisy that anyone would actually pay them any attention. “I really don’t know what happened but that was…”

“Spooky.”

“Yeah, spooky.” Jenny nodded. “So...that makes my spooky encounters two.”

Danny frowned, as he was in deep thought. “You know...that only convinces me more that there is something going on. Not just here in London, but anywhere in the world. Weird things happen all the time, people just dismiss it as figments of their fantasy. But I just feel like there is something...more complicated than that.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because if it really was normal, then the Magnus Institute wouldn’t exist.” Danny said, determined. “Or the Usher Foundation in United States, or-”   
  


“Yes, yes. I get it.” Jenny said. “But what about you? Why are you so interested in the supernatural?”

Danny smiled a little. “I’m something of an urban explorer. I’ve always loved ghost stories since I was a kid and I’m following this really neat series at Youtube, Ghost Hunt UK. The title says it all, but they just inspired me more.”

“Wow, so there are people who takes the paranormal seriously…” Jenny said in wonder. 

“I’ll send you the link later, if you want.”

Jenny resisted to roll her eyes. “I don’t have your number-”

“Thought you’d never ask!” Danny grinned and grabbed her phone on the table.

“Hey!”

“Just borrowing it for a sec!”

“You can’t just do that-”

“Too late, got my number now!”

“Oh, you’re so insufferable!”

“Aw, knew you loved me.”

“Do I? Never noticed cause I was busy being mad that you took my phone without asking.”

“Sorry not sorry.”

“Ugh…”

Jenny eventually gave her number in return and acted very begrudgingly about it, but she was actually happy to find a friend in Danny. 

* * *

Jenny got back home sometime after lunch. Martin didn’t quit work until five, so she had some hours before he returned home.

It was as if she suddenly realized how silent it was without someone to talk to, someone who could understand her.

Although...Danny hasn't experienced the supernatural before. He was interested and believed in her, that was something.

Jenny jumped when her phone buzzed and she fished it up, curious.

> _**DantheMan** added you to a groupchat _

Jenny accepted and saw a chat open up on the instant messenger app. 

> **_Best Fries Forever  
>   
> _ **
> 
> **DantheMan:** heya! Got home safely? :))  
>   
> 
> 
> **pick_a_Jenny_for_luck:** yup, is home now. :)  
>   
> 
> 
> **pick_a_Jenny_for_luck:** martin is not home until after five, tho.  
>   
> 
> 
> **DantheMan:** ah, that’s sad.  
>    
>    
>  **DantheMan:** tim’s working until six. everything’s boring without him.  
>   
> 
> 
> **pick_a_Jenny_for_luck:** omg, so valid. and same hat! 🎩  
>   
> 
> 
> **DantheMan:** hey, got minecraft on the pc. gimme your gamertag and we’ll game. 🎮🎮  
>   
> 
> 
> **pick_a_Jenny_for_luck:** ok, now you’re officially my friend.  
>   
> 
> 
> **DantheMan:** 🤣🤣🤩🤩

Jenny snickered for herself and put her phone in her pocket before she turned on her laptop and opened up Minecraft.

She played with Danny for the longest of time, but it felt so short and she hadn’t noticed when it got all dark outside and Martin came home.

“Sorry I’m late!” Martin called out. “I’m sorry, you must’ve waited for a long time and I’m getting started on dinner rightaway!” The front door closed behind him and she could hear him hurry into the kitchen, washing his hands before starting on tonight's dinner. 

“Is fine.” Jenny muttered slightly distracted, while she was currently mining in a cave. “Haha, I got my hands on some diamonds. Enough to make a sword.”

_ “Two swords??” _

“Nope.”

Danny groaned on the other end.  _ “Can I have one?” _

“Nah. This is for me.”

_ “Cheater.” _

“Am not!” Jenny exclaimed and watched as her game avatar ran in the caves to where she put her crafting table. “Keep working on the house, by the way. We don’t want any creepers near it.”

_ “Told you we should’ve gotten that ocelot!” _ Danny playfully scolded her.

“I didn’t have any fish, you cooked it and then ate it!” 

_ “But I was starving! What would you rather have me do?” _

“Perish.” Jenny snarked back.

_ “Wow, rude.” _ Danny laughed on the other end.

* * *

“Can I ask something?”

Jenny scoffed while she read the latest book in their hang out, the café where Danny took her for their first meeting. “Like how you asked me if you could have my croissant? But yeah, go ahead.”

Danny ignored the accusation and continued. “How hard is it for you to sneak out at night?”

Jenny looked up, surprised. “...easy, I guess? Martin sleeps like a rock, not even a bomb outside could wake him up, I guess. Why?”

“Well, I need probably a partner when it comes to my urban explorations.” Danny confessed. 

Jenny smirked. “Oh, the Great and Mighty Danny Stoker can’t do it without some help from little me?”

“And you need to get out a little.” Danny continued, not caring about her little teasing. “Live a little and you know what the ghosts tell you? Carpe noctem! Capture the night!”

“Isn’t it supposed to be carpe diem?”

“Eh, details.”

Jenny considered this. “One thing though...what do you do on an urban exploration?”

Danny grinned like she just made his day. “I thought you’d never ask! I know! Meet up with me at midnight, I’m going to explore the old Abbey Mills Pumping Station in Stratford. It’s basically abandoned, so it’ll be perfect!”

Jenny thought about it. Sneak out at night, behind Martin’s back? Well...it wouldn’t hurt if he was asleep and she'd come back before he woke up in the morning. 

Out all night with a friend and exploring something truly spooky? The excitement gave her a thrill...an adventure!

“Where should we meet then?”

Danny’s grin was ridiculously happy. “Take the Central line to Stratford, I’ll meet you there at midnight. I’ll text you what you need to bring.”

Jenny nodded, feeling awfully excited about a night adventure with Danny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is ridiculously late, I know. 
> 
> But I don't make the rules of depression and sometimes life gotta go before the writing stuff; short said, I'v had my hands busy with handling school, depression and some recurring PTSD. But it's all fine, because I finally have appointment for a therapist-oops, I should probably get back to the point.
> 
> So! This is very Danny and Jenny-centric, but not to worry. Yours truly, Mr Tim Stoker will appear very soon! :3
> 
> Stay tuned for more. 💖

**Author's Note:**

> Ah yes, another wip, as you guys see...
> 
> But I couldn't resist writing this one and I decided to only update this certain story on weekends, so that's cool.
> 
> Basically, I was chatting with a friend about how Danny would become good friends with Jenny because they'd be the same age range and a big interest in the spookiness. Then it hit me "what if they met" and boom. Here we are.
> 
> I'd like to dedicate this story to **quantumducky** and **miraeyeteeth**. You guys has been there for me when thing's been really bad since November. Thanks for brainstorming with me and cheering me up. I couldn't ask for better friends than you guys and I'm so grateful for you guys. 
> 
> This one is for you; a story about friendship, no matter what happens. 🥰
> 
> -Lunan


End file.
